This is a small response to statements that was given in a talk on Thursday 25th
September Saturday 1997 in Sri Lanka. The responses are due to the incorrect statements
made by the speaker Mr. Abdur-Rahman Green whose speech, contradicts the beliefs and
practices of the Ahl as-Sunnah wa Jama`ah. We will begin in sha Allah, noting
what he said then following his statements with our comments or responses.

The comments that are made by Mr. Green, are a common trend amongst this Martin
Lutheran ProtestantType of Islamic Movement, that just started seeing its
brighter days earlier this century after their doctrine has been banned through out our
Islamic history. But in our days, they have made a rapid spread amongst the innocence of
the zealous youth and the ignorant of the young and old. They say "only Qur`aan and
Sunnah", but they themselves don`t have the reality of it and they themselves don`t
understand it. And for this reason, they quote Qur`aan out of its contents that`s not
applicable for the intended verse and they put forward hadiths that are either baseless or
are quoted out of context for what they were intended also.

We began praising Allah . We praise him we seek His his help and we ask for the
forgiveness we seek refuge in Allah from the evils of ourselves and the evil of the
consequences of our evil actions. I bear witnees that Allah alone is worthy of being
worshipped and that He has no partners an I will co-bear witness and I testify that
Muhammad (saw) is the slave and the messenger of Allah. The best features of the Book of
Allah and the best way is the way of Muhammad (saw) and the worst of all the affairs of
the newly introduced methods. And all newly introduced methods into the religion are
innovations. All the innovations are misguidance. All the misguidance are going astray and
all that is astray is in the fire.

This statement about all newly guided innovations are destined for hell, is a very
consistent phrase along the beliefs of the so called Salafi` , but it is clearly an
consistent incorrect statement and belief according to the beliefs of The Ahl as-Sunnah wa
Jama`ah. They seem to paint everything with the same brush, without discrimination. And
they can`t even do something as simple as walking down the streets or reading a book
without first thinking , What is it he or she is doing that is innovation.` This
straightjacket that they wear is their shield` against all that they freely label dalala -
misguidance, (so they think), and they wear it while carrying a stick.

Know that bid`ah innovations are divided by the ulama of Ahl
as-Sunna wal-Jama`ah into different parts. And they are as followed :

Bid`ah is broken up in two divisions, Bid`ah `Amal ( in actions) and Bid`ah
`Itiqaadi (in belief) and their sub-divisions. For instance:

Bid`ah `Itiqaadi, it deals with a new belief swhich found their way into Islam
after the Prophet (saw). Christianity and Judaism do not fall into this category are not
of this category because they are beliefs and practices from before the time of the
Prophet (saw). Also they did not call themselves Muslims. But the Jabriyya and the
Qadriyya and the Mutazila and the Batiniyya and the like are of this category because they
came after the time of the Holy Prophet (saw).

an-Nabulusi's Al-Hadiqat an-nadiyya:

"1) The hadith ash-Sharif recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim declares, 'If
something that does not exist in this religion, which I have revealed, is brought forth
with the hope of thawab, this thing will be refused.' This hadith points out that
it is not a bida to bring forth something that does not concern the religion or
worship. The improvements, changes made in eating, drinking, dressing, building houses and
in transportation are not bida`.

"2) A hadith recorded by at-Tabarani says, 'If Muslims, after their Prophet
('alaihi 's-salam), make a bida`, an innovation in the religion, which He
revealed, a sunnat which is similar to it disappears from among them.' This hadith points
out that it is not bida` to make an improvement or a change in worldly affairs
and customs, which is done without expecting thawab.

3) It is declared in a hadith recorded by at-Tabarani, 'Until a man of bida` gives up
his bida`, Allahu ta'ala does not accept his repentance.' It is necessary to repent after
every sin. There are three conditions for the repentance to be correct: to put an end to
sinning, to repent from what one has done and to resolve upon never to do it again. If he
has any debt or duty to other people, he has to pay it back and have himself forgiven. By
'man of bida`' is meant one who brings forth a bida` or who commits a
bida` that has already been brought forth. 'Bida`' means 'inventing a belief, a
deed, a word or a moral habit that does not exist in the religion, or spreading such an
innovation, and expecting reward for it in the next world'. If a person who commits a sin
continuously repents for another kind of sin, his repentance will be accepted. Man of bida`
expects reward (thawab from his bida` and thinks that he is doing
something good. Therefore, he does not think of repenting.

"4) It is declared in a hadith recorded by Ibn Maja, 'Unless the man of bida`
gives up his bida`, Allahu ta'ala does not accept any of his worship.' Even the
correct worship of an innovator in the religion, who changes a belief, worship, word or a
habit in the religion, will not be accepted. That is, he will be deprived of reward for
worship in the next world. He has to give up his bida`.

"5) It is declared in a hadith recorded by Ibn Maja, 'Even if a bida`
does not cause unbelief, its inventor's fast, hajj, 'umra, jihad, repentance or
any goodness will not be accepted. It is as easy for this person to go out of the religion
as pulling out hairs from the butter.

bida` (haram-bad) means an addition or reduction that has been made in the
religion and against the Prophet's ('alaihi 's-salam) consent after as-Sahabat al-kiram
and the Tabi`in, that is, it is a change made as worship and presumed to be
thawab-deserving. And reform in the religion means bida` in the religion. Changes
that are made in customs are outside this kind of bida`. The ones that are
declared to be evil in the Hadith ash-Sharif are the bida`' in the religion.
These reforms do not help worship. They all spoil worship."

"The reforms in the religion part into two groups: the bida' in belief
and those in 'ibada. The reforms in belief are either made with ijtihad, that is,
they are derived from the Qur'an and the Hadith, or out of choice by reasoning or
deducing. Ijtihad requires to be done by a profound scholar, that is, a mujtahid. If a
mujtahid makes a mistake in doing ijtihad in belief, he will not be pardoned. He will be
guilty. If the thing concerning belief, which he has misunderstood, is declared clearly in
the religion and is so widespread that even the ignorant have heard about it and know it,
this mujtahid and those who believe him will become unbelievers. A person who is
understood to be an unbeliever cannot escape unbelief unless he repents this misbelief of
his, even if he says he is a Muslim and spends all his life worshiping. If the thing
concerning belief had been declared openly but is not the kind everybody has heard of, or
if it had not been declared openly, he will become not an unbeliever but a man of bida`
or a heretic. This wrong belief of his is a sin which is greater even than the great sins
such as murder and fornication. It has been declared in hadiths that there would be
seventy-two groups of bida` and that they will all go to Hell.

."Islamic scholars who have not gone wrong in their ijtihad in the belief and the
Muslims who believe the truth like them are called Ahl as-Sunna or Sunni.

"The worship of the seventy-two groups of bida` is not acceptable even if they
worship correctly. Their bida` in their worshiping is an additional guilt, even
if they call it ijtihad.

"The ijtihads deduced by the Ahl as-Sunna scholars in the
knowledge concerning 'ibadat are not bida'. Their mistakes in finding
out this knowledge will not cause them to be guilty.

."Minarets, schools, books and the like which have been produced later are not
bida' or reforms in the religion. These are things which help the religion. Islam has
permitted and even commanded them. Things of this sort are called sunnat hasana. It is
called sunnat sayyia to bring forth the things that Islam has prohibited. Bida'
are sunnat sayyia[1]. The reason why the sunnat hasana were not done in
the time of as-Sahaba and Tabiin was because they did not need these useful things. They
were performing the jihad against unbelievers, conquering lands and spreading Islam over
the world. In their time, men of bida` had not appeared or increased. It is
permissible and thawab to bring forth sunnat hasana until the end of the
world.

"In 'ibadat it is worse to commit a bida` than to neglect a
sunnat. It is haram to commit a bida` while it is makruh to neglect a sunnat
without excuse. If one supposes that it is thawab to neglect a sunnat without any excuse,
it will be bida` for him to neglect a sunnat. When it is unknown if a belief, a
deed or a word is a sunnat or bida`, it is necessary not to perform it, for it is
necessary not to do the bida`, and it is not obligatory to perform the sunnat. If
something not obligatory is omitted, it will not be performed afterwards. Therefore, the
omitted sunnas of salat will not be performed afterwards. It is more thawab than
all the worship of human beings and jinn not to commit the smallest of what Allahu ta'ala
has prohibited. For this reason, a wajib also can be omitted where there is difficulty.
But it has been said by scholars that haram cannot be committed. For example, one cannot
clean, near others, the parts of his body that, have to be covered.

End of quotes from Imaam Nablusi.

Ibn Izz Abdus-Salaam

(who is list as one of the scholars of the salafiyya) , explained Bid`ah in
five categories:

1. Waajib
2. Haraam
3. Manduub
4. Makruuh and
5. Mubaah

1.The First category comprises innovations that are obligatory such as recording the
Quran and the Laws of Islam in writing when it was feared that something might be lost
from the ; the study of the disciplines of Arabic that are necessary to understand the
Quran and the Sunnah such as grammar, word declension, and lexicography ; hadith
classification to distinguish between genuine and spurious prophetic traditions ; and the
philosophical refutations of arguments by the Mu`tazilites and the like.

2. The second category is that of the unlawful innovations such as non-Islamic taxes
and the lives, giving positions of authority in Sacred Law to those unfit for them, and
devoting ones time to learning the beliefs of heretical sects that contravene the tenets
of faith on the Ahil-Sunnah.

3. The third category consist of recommended innovations such as building hostels and
Schools of Sacred Law (Madrasas), recording the research of Islamic Schools of
Legal Thought, writing books on beneficial subjects , extensive research into fundamentals
and particular applications of Sacred Law, in-depth study of Arabic linguistics, the
reciting of the wirds BY THOSE WITH A SUFI PATH and commemorating the Birth of the Prophet
Muhammad (saw) and wearing ones best and rejoicing at it.

4. The fourth category includes innovations that are offensive, such as embellishing
the Mosques , decorating the Quran and having a backup man (muballigh) loudly
repeat the spoken Allahu Akbar of the Imaam when the latter`s voice is already clearly
audible to those praying behind him. And..

5. The fifth category of that of innovations that are permissible , such as shifting
flour, using spoons and having more enjoyable food , drink and housing.

Sharh Al-Arbi`een An-Nawawi.

"And Abdullah Muhammad Ghimari said in his Al-Qawa`id Al-Kubra that, " Ibn
Izz Abdus-Salam classifies innovations according to thier benefit, harm, or indifference,
into five categories of rulings: the obligatory, recommended, unlawful , offensive and the
permissible: giving the examples of each and mentioning the principles of Sacred Law that
verify his classification. His words on the subject display his keen insight and
comprehensive knowledge of both the principles of Jurisprudence and the human advantages
and disadvantages in view of which the Lawgiver has established the rulings of Sacred
Law."

Because his classification of innovation was established on a firm bases in Islamic
Jurisprudence and Legal Principles, it was confirmed by Imaam Nawawi , ibn Hajar `Asqalani
, and the VAST MAJORITY of Islamic Scholars, who received his words with acceptance and
viewed it as OBLIGATORY to apply them to the new events and contingencies that occur with
the changing times and the peoples who live in them. One may not support the denial of his
classification by clinging to the hadith, "Every innovation is misguidance,"
because the only innovation that is without exception misguidance is that concerning
tenets of faith, like the innovations of the Mu`tazilites , Qadarites , Murji`ites and so
on.

The word dhikr is usually translated into the English language as the remembrance of
Allah, however we want to concern ourselves with is what our pious predecessors those who
have proceeded in knowledge and piety . How they have defined and explained the meaning of
dhikr in Islaam. All words of praise and glory to Allah, extolling His perfect attributes
of power and majesty, beauty and majesty. Where the one utters these by the tongue or says
them silently in the heart are know as dhikr or remembrance of Allah and this dhikr or
remembrance of Allah should not be done only with the tongue or with mere words. Allah
tells us in Surah `Araf.

" And bring your Lord to remembrance within your very souls". And Allah goes
on to say that the meaning of which is with humility and in remembrance without loudness
in words in the mornings and evenings and be not those who are unheedful.

This verse indicates that doing dhikr in silence and without raising one's voice is
better but not to altogether abandon His Remembrance from the tongue. For one utters what
he loves constantly. Like when he is at work, while he is walking, when he is happy he
says Al-HamduliLLah!` what is the harm in this?

In the Fatawa fiqhiyya of al-Haytami (p. 48): He was asked about Nawawi's saying
at the end of the chapter entitled "Dhikr Gatherings" in his Commentary on Sahih
Muslim: "Dhikr of the tongue with presence of the heart is preferable to dhikr of
the heart [without]." Ibn Hajar said: "It is not because dhikr of the heart is
an established worship in the lexical sense [i.e. consisting in specific formulae] that it
is preferable, but because through it one intently means, in his heart, to exalt and
magnify Allah above all else. That is the meaning both of the aforementioned saying of
Nawawi and of the saying of some that "There is no reward in dhikr of the
heart." By denying there is a reward in it, one means "There is no reward in the
words, which are not uttered"; and by establishing that there is reward in it, one
means "in the fact that the heart is present," as we have just said. Consider
this, for it is important.

The one who engages in dhikr has the highest rank of all before Allah. The people who
call on Allah without distraction have been mentioned in Qur'an, as well as the effect
that calling has on their heart:

And Allah says:"In houses which Allah has Allowed to be RAISED to honor and for His Name to be
remembered in them; He is glorified there day and night by men whom neither trade nor sale
can divert from the remembrance of Allah" (24:36-37).

"Those who believe, and their hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of
Allah: By remembering Allah, truly satisfaction comes to the heart" (13:28).

Or when Allah, says in His book, "The believers are those who, when they
hear Allah mentioned, their hearts tremble" (al-Anfal), and the Prophet's
saying in Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah from Ibn Jubayr: "The best dhikr is La
ilaha illallah." The Prophet did not say, "the best dhikr is
making a lecture"; or "giving advice".

The Prophet(saw) said: udhkur Allaha hatta yaqulu majnun "Remember /
mention Allah as much as you want, until people say that you are crazy and foolish"
(Narrated by Ahmad in his Musnad, Ibn Hibban in his Sahih, and al-Hakim who
declared it sahih); that is: do not care about them!

The Author of Fiqh As-Sunnah it gives two examples of Loud Dhikr

1. Invocation of Allah with the tongue according to one of the formulas taught by the
Prophet or any other formula;

and

2.Remembrance of Allah in the heart, or in both the heart and the tongue.

We are concerned here with the last two meanings, that of mention of Allah,

The Prophet praised a man who was awwah -- literally: one who says ah, ah!
-- that is: loud in his dhikr, even when others censured him. Ahmad narrated with a
good chain in his Musnad (4:159) from `Uqba ibn `Amir: "The Prophet said of a
man named Dhu al-bijadayn: innahu awwah, He is a man who says ah a
lot. This is because he was a man abundant in his dhikr of Allah in
Qur'an-recitation, and he would raise his voice high when supplicating."

Allah said of the Prophet Ibrahim: "Verily, Ibrahim is awwah and halim"
(9:114, 11:75), that is, according to Tafsir al-jalalayn: "Crying out and
suffering much, out of fear and dread of his Lord." [halim = merciful,
gentle.] The Prophet prayed to be awwah in the following invocation: rabbi
ij`alni ilayka awwahan, "O Allah, make me one who often cries out ah to
you." Narrated by Tirmidhi (book of da`awat #102, hasan sahih), Ibn
Majah (Du`a' #2), and Ahmad (1:227) with a strong chain.

So we have to understand something important. That not every single way and not every
single means of making Dhikr is allowed. Rather there are some types of ways of making
Dhikr that are not allowed. And Amongst these is those types of Dhikr where you find
people singing sometimes to the accompaniment of musical instruments. Where the people
start dancing and swaying and turning around in circles and also make Dhikr in together in
unison where for example a whole group of people start saying laa ilaaha illa-Llah
and they start it by doing it altogether at the same time or start mentioning the names of
Allah , Raheem , Rahman al together in unison sometimes gathering together
sitting on a road. This is not allowed . Why because very simply this has not been
established as a practice of the Prophet (saw ) or a practice of the Companions of the
Prophet

First we would like to address the question of movements during Dhikr. Since something
is established in Islaam as long as it is according to and not offending the Shari`ah, we
first we ask Mr. Green, How can one remain still when his Lord is mentioned in the Highest
Way`? Unless this person`s heart is so hard that he gets up and walks out of the assembly,
depriving himself of the blessings of the gathering, even if he was just waiting for
someone. The Prophet (saw) said, "They are those who shake or are moved at the
mention or remembrance of Allah (hum al-ladhina ihtazzu fi dhikrillah), that is,
they have become fervently devoted and attached to His remembrance." And what better
remembrance is their besides declaring His Oneness and calling out His Attributes?

Imam Habib al-Haddad said in Key to the Garden (p. 116):

Dhikr

returns from the outward feature which is the tongue to the inward which is
the heart, in which it becomes solidly rooted, so that it takes firm hold of its members.
The sweetness of this is tasted by the one who has taken to dhikr with the whole of
himself, so that his skin and heart are softened. As Allah said: "Then their skins
and their hearts soften to the remembrance of Allah" (39:23).

The "softening of the heart" consists in the sensitivity and timidity that
come as a result of nearness and tajalli [manifestation of one or more divine
attributes]. Sufficient is it to have Allah as one's intimate companion!

As for the "softening of the skin" this is the ecstasy and
swaying from side to side, which result from intimacy and manifestation or from fear and
awe. No blame attaches to someone who has reached this rank if he sways and chants, for in
the

painful throes of love
and passion he finds something which arouses the highest yearning...."

The exhortation provided by fear and awe brings forth tears and forces one to tremble
and be humble. These are the states of the righteous believers (abrar) when they
hear the Speech and dhikr of Allah the Exalted. "Their skins shiver"
(39:23), and then soften with their hearts and incline to dhikr of Him, as they are
covered in serenity and dignity, so that they are neither frivolous, pretentious, noisy,
or ostentatious. Allah the Exalted has not described them as people whose reasons have
departed, who faint, dance, or jump about.

The saying by Imaam Al-Qurtubi doesn`t apply in any way that the only type of group
Dhikr is the place where knowledge is discussed. We say, that Dhikr has many meaning, from
Recitation of the Qur`aan, Prayer and etc. and we don`t put limits ion it. The Prophet
(saw) is related to say: "He who loves something mentions it much." (Narrated by
Abu Nu`aym in the Hilya and Daylami in Musnad al-firdaws. Sakhawi cites it
in al-Maqasid al-hasana p. 393 #1050

"Those who remember Allah standing, sitting and on their sides,"
(3:191), and

"Those men and women who engage much in Allah's praise. For them has Allah
prepared forgiveness and a great reward." (3:191, 33:35)

Concerning the above Qur'anic verses `Ali ibn Abu Talha relates that Ibn `Abbas said,
"All obligations imposed upon man by Allah are clearly marked and one is exempted
from them only in the presence of a genuine cause. The only exception is the obligation of
dhikr. Allah has set no specific limits for it, and under no circumstances is one
allowed to be negligent of it. We are commanded to 'remember Allah standing,
sitting and reclining on your sides,' in the morning, during the day, at sea or on
land, on journeys or at home, in poverty and in prosperity, in sickness or in health,
openly and secretly, and, in fact, at all times throughout one's life and in all
circumstances."

First they accuse the Ahl as-Sunnnah wa Jama`ah of innovations, then they turn
around and put a limit where there is none set. They are the ones who are making the
Halaal Haram

3a.

He denies the permissibility of the Dhikr of Ar-Rahman and Ar-Raheem or
any other Attribute. (He contradicts himself when he says in his opening lecture on the
first page:

"The first type of Dhikr is the remembrance of the names (Attributes of Allah)
glorious and mighty as He the remembrance of His Attributes and praising Him and thanking
him.

." This type of remembrance of Allah by mentioning His Name and Attributes.")

Here is the belief of Ahl as-Sunnah wa Jama`ah regarding when Allah says,
"To Allah belong the most beautiful names, so call Him by them" (7:180).
For this, one is not at liberty to object to other forms of dhikr such as Ar-Rahman and
Ar-Raheem or any other Attribute.

We must remember that Bilal used to make the dhikr Ahad, Ahad while undergoing
torture. Ibn Hisham says in his Sira: Ibn Ishaq narrates [with his chain of
transmission] saying: "Bilal was a faithful Muslim, pure of heart... Umayya ibn
Khalaf used to bring him out in the hottest part of the day and throw him on his back in
the open valley and have a great rock put on his chest; the he would say to him: You will
stay here until you die or deny Muhammad and worship al-Lat and al-`Uzza. He used to say
while he was enduring this: ahad, ahad -- One, One!"

Ibn Hajar cites it in al-Isaba (1:171 #732).

Prophet prayed to Allah with the following invocations:

"Labbayka ilah al-Haqq" [At your command, O the God of Truth]. [2]

Allah said: "Wa lillahi al-asma' al-husna fad`uhu biha" : To Allah
belong the Most beautiful Names, so call Him with them (7:180). These names are not
confined to ninety-nine, as Nawawi explicitly stated in his commentary on the hadith
in Bukhari and Muslim whereby the Prophet said: "Inna lillahi ta`ala tis`atan wa
tis`ina isman, mi'atan illa wahidan, man ahsaha dakhala al-jannat...":
"There are ninety-nine names which belong to Allah, one hundred less one, whoever
memorizes (or recites) them enters Paradise..."

The Prophet used to call Allah by ALL His Names: "Allahumma inni ad`uka bi
asma'ika al-husna kulliha": O Allah, I invoke You with all of Your beautiful
Names.[3]

Al-Kurtubi said the most excellent scholar who wrote one of the most famous tafseers of
the Qur`aaan , he said gatherings of Dhikr are the gathering s of knowledge and
admonition.. Those in which the word of Allah and the sunnah of his Messenger (saw)
stories and accounts of the pious prodecesors and the Salafusala.

We ask Mr. Green this question, do the Angels gather around the Throne and give
speeches or do they make Dhikr by recalling Allah`s Names and Attributes and praising Him?
When the Prophet (saw) lifted the veil for the Companions to hear the pebbles making
Dhikr, did they hear a speech, or did they hear Dhikr? Did not Allah inform us that All of
Creation does their own form of Dhikr, but we are not aware of it? And if one is sitting
alone say Allah , Allah` and someone comes and join him, is this aloud? Are the other
Creations of Allah allowed to do Dhikr in a Gathering and the best of His (swt) creation
are forbidden to do so? We seek refuge in Allah from such ignorance.

In Bukhari and Muslim:

The Prophet said that Allah has angels roaming the roads to find the people of dhikr,
i.e. those who say La Ilaha Illallah and similar expressions, and when they find
a group of people (qawm) reciting dhikr, they call each other and encompass them in
layers until the first heaven -- the location of which is in Allah's knowledge. (This is
to say, an unlimited number of angels are going to be over that group. He didn't say:
"when they find one person." Therefore it is a must to be in a group to get this
particular reward.) Allah asks His angels, and He knows already (but he asks in order to
assure it and make it understandable for us) "What are my servants saying?" (He
did not say "servant," but `ibadi, "servants" in the plural.)
The angels say: "They are praising You (tasbih) and magnifying Your Name (takbir)
and glorifying You (tahmid), and giving You the best Attributes (tamjid)."
(Can you say that all this is a lecture or a study group? Can you say that this is silent?
Rather, this is saying "Alhamdulillah" and all kinds of other dhikr.) Allah
says: "Have they seen Me?" The angels answer: "O our Lord! They did not see
You." He says: "(They are praising Me without seeing Me,) what if they see
Me!" The angels answer: "O our Lord, if they saw You, they are going to do more
and more worship, more and more tasbih, more and more takbir, more and more tamjid!"
He says: "What are they asking?" Angels say: "They are asking Your
Paradise!" He says: "Did they see Paradise?" They say: "O our Lord,
no, they have not seen it." He says: "And how will they be if they see it?"
They say: "If they see Paradise, they are going to be more attached and attracted to
it!" He says: "What are they fearing and running away from?" (When we are
saying, "Ya Ghaffar (O Forgiver), Ya Sattar (O Concealer)," it
means that we are fearing Him because of our sins. We are asking Him to hide our sins and
forgive us.) They say: "They are fearing and running away from hellfire." He
says: "And have they seen hellfire?" They say: "O our Lord, no, they did
not see hellfire." He says: "And how will they be if they see fire and
hell?" They say: "If they see your fire, they are going to be running from it
more and more, and be even more afraid of it." (Now listen to this carefully:) And
Allah says: "I am making you witness (and does Allah need witnesses? He needs no
witness since He said: "Allah is sufficient as witness." Why make the angels
witnesses? Does Allah change His word? "Making you witness" here means,
"Assuring you") that I have forgiven them." (Why has Allah forgiven them?
Because, as the beginning of the hadith states, they are a group of people reciting the
Names of Allah and remembering Him with His dhikr.) One of the angels says: "O my
Lord, someone was there who did not belong to that group, but came for some other
need." (That person came for some other purpose than dhikr, to ask someone for
something.) Allah says: "Those are such a group that anyone who sits with them -- no
matter for what reason -- that person will also have his sins forgiven."

This hadith indicates what merit lies in gathering for dhikr, and in everyone
present doing it aloud and in unison, because of the phrases: "They are invoking
You" in the plural, and "They are the people who sit," meaning those who
assemble for remembrance and do it in unison, something which can only be done aloud,
since someone whose dhikr is silent has no need to seek out a session in someone
else's company.

This is further indicated by the hadith qudsi which runs: "Allah says: I am
to my servant as he expects of Me, I am with him when he remembers Me. If he remembers Me
in his heart, I remember him to Myself, and if he remembers me in an assembly, I mention
him in an assembly better than his..." (Bukhari and Muslim) Thus, silent dhikr
is differentiated from dhikr said out loud by His saying: "remembers Me within
himself," meaning: "silently," and "in an assembly," meaning
"aloud."

Dhikr

in a gathering can only be done aloud and in unison. The above hadith thus
constitutes proof that dhikr done outloud in a gathering is an exalted kind of dhikr
which is mentioned at the Highest Assembly (al-mala' al-a`la) by our Majestic Lord
and the angels who are near to Him, "who extol Him night and day, and never
tire" (21:20).

The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, "The single-hearted (al-mufarridun)
have surpassed all." They asked, "Who are these single-hearted people, O Prophet
of Allah?" He replied, "Those men and women who remember Allah
unceasingly." (Muslim)

Ibn Qayyim explains in his book Madarij al-salikin that the term mufarridun
has two meanings here: either the muwahidun, the people engaged in tawhid
who declare Allah's Oneness as a group (i.e. not necessarily alone), or those whom he
calls ahad furada, the same people as (single) individuals sitting alone (in
isolation).

From this example it is evident that in the explanation of Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya,
sittings of dhikr can be in a group, and can be all alone. In another explanation of mufarridun
also cited by Ibn Qayyim, the meaning is those that tremble from reciting dhikrullah,
entranced with it perpetually, not caring what people say or do about them.'

Ibn `Umar reported that the Prophet said: "When you pass by the gardens of
Paradise, avail yourselves of them." The Companions asked: "What are the gardens
of Paradise, O Messenger of Allah?" He replied: "The circles of dhikr. There are
roaming angels of Allah who go about looking for the circles of dhikr, and when they find
them they surround them closely."[4]

Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri and Abu Huraira reported that the Prophet, peace by upon him, said,
"When any group of men remember Allah, angels surround them and mercy covers them,
tranquility descends upon them, and Allah mentions them to those who are with
Him."[5]

Mu`awiya that the Prophet went out to a circle of his Companions and asked: "What
made you sit here?" They said: "We are sitting here in order to remember /
mention Allah (nadhkurullaha) and to glorify Him (wa nahmaduhu) because He
guided us to the path of Islam and he conferred favours upon us." Thereupon he
adjured them by Allah and asked if that was the only purpose of their sitting there. They
said: "By Allah, we are sitting here for this purpose only." At this the Prophet
said: "I am not asking you to take an oath because of any misapprehension against
you, but only because Gabriel came to me and informed me that Allah, the Exalted and
Glorious, was telling the angels that He is proud of you!" Note that the hadith
stated jalasna -- we sat -- in the plural, not singular. It referred to an
association of people in a group, not one person.[6]

Shahr ibn Hawshab relates that one day Abu al-Darda' entered the Masjid of Bayt
al-Maqdis (Jerusalem) and saw people gathered around their admonisher (mudhakkir)
who was reminding them, and they were raising their voices, weeping, and making
invocations. Abu al-Darda' said: "My father's life and my mother's be sacrificed for
those who moan over their state before the Day of Moaning!" Then he said: "O Ibn
Hawshab, let us hurry and sit with those people. I heard the Prophet say: If you see the
groves of Paradise, graze in them, and we said: O Messenger of Allah, what are the groves
of Paradise? He said: The circles of remembrance, by the One in Whose hand is my soul, no
people gather for the remembrance of Allah Almighty except the angels surround them
closely, and mercy covers them, and Allah mentions them in His presence, and when they
desire to get up and leave, a herald calls them saying: Rise forgiven, your evil deeds
have been changed into good deeds!" Then Abu al-Darda' made towards them and sat with
them eagerly.[7]

Abu Hurayra who said: "While on the road to Mecca the Prophet passed on top of a
mountain called Jumdan (= frozen in its place), at which time he said: Move on (siru)!
Here is Jumdaan Mountain: and the single-minded (al-mufarridun) are foremost. They
said: What are the single-minded? He said: The men and women who remember Allah much (al-dhakirun
Allah kathiran wa al-dhakirat)." [8]

The Prophet said: "The single-minded (al-mufarridun) are foremost. They
said: 'What are the single-minded? He said: Those who dote on the remembrance of Allah and
are ridiculed because of it (al-mustahtirun bi dhikr Allah), and whose burdens the
dhikr removes from them (yada`u `anhum al-dhikru athqalahum), so that they come to
Allah fluttering (fa ya'tun Allaha khifaqan)."[9]

The above evidences is enough to prove from the Qur`aan and Sunnah and the Companions
the Blessings and the Benefits of the Souls of Group Dhikr. And Allah Knows Best.

"Whoever witness that Allah alone is worthy of being worshipped from his heart not
just from his tongue, saying some words that he does not truly understand the meaning of,
as in the case of so many people who call themselves Muslims today unfortunately, but
rather he says it or she say it from his or her heart, why because their hearts are in a
true state of servitude and submission and slavery to Allah (swt)

Mr. Green cant seem to realize that there are some people that are in this world who
are not born Muslim, and for them to hear the name of Allah and His Attributes, helps them
remember Him (swt) more. How else can a person who doesn`t know the language, know what he
is saying if he doesn`t know how it sounds? We know of many people who without the
Repetitions of His Divine Names would not develop awe in his heart about his Lord.

Ibn Hajr in Fat`hul Bari

" Dhikr can take place with the tongue, for which the one who utters it
receives reward, and it is not necessary for this that he understand or recall its
meaning, on condition that he not mean other than its meaning by its utterance; and if, in
addition to its utterance, there is dhikr in the heart, then it is more complete;
and if there is, added to that, the recollection of the meaning of the dhikr and
what it entails such as magnifying Allah and exalting Him above defect or need, it is even
more complete; and if all this takes place inside a good deed, whether an obligatory
prayer, or jihad, or other than that, it is even more complete; and if one perfects one's
turning to Allah and purifies one's sincerity towards Him: then that is the farthest
perfection."

And we can take the example of what the Prophet (saw) said:

When a man complained, "The laws of Islam are too heavy for me, so tell me
something that I can easily follow," the Prophet told him, "Let your tongue be
always busy with the remembrance of Allah."[10]

And even those who are born Muslim, need to hear His name because the Prophet (saw)
said:

"The Hour will not rise before Allah is no longer said on earth." And
through another chain: "The Hour will not rise on anyone saying: Allah, Allah."
Muslim narrated both in his Sahih, Book of Iman (belief), chapter 66
entitled: dhahab al-iman akhir al-zaman "The Disappearance of Belief at the
End of Times." The reason why Imam Muslim placed the hadith under the chapter heading
of the disappearance of belief (iman) at the end of times although there is no
mention of belief in the hadith. This shows that saying "Allah, Allah" stands
for belief. Those who say it show belief, while those who don't say it, don't show belief.
Therefore those who fight those who say it, are actually worse than those who merely lack
belief and do not say "Allah, Allah."

For Imam Ghazali said in his Ihya:

It is man's soul and spirit that constitute his real nature... Upon death his state
changes in two ways. Firstly he is now deprived of his eyes, ears and tongue, his hand,
his feet and all his parts, just as he is deprived of family, children, relatives, and all
the people he used to know, and of his horses and other riding-beasts, his servant-boys,
his houses and property, and all that he used to own. There is no distinction to be drawn
between his being taken from these things and these things being taken from him, for it is
the separation itself, which causes pain....

If there was anything in the world in which he had found consolation and peace, then he
will greatly lament for it after he dies, and feel the greatest sorrow over losing it. His
heart will turn to thoughts of everything he owned, of his power and estates, even to a
shirt he used to wear, for instance, and in which he took pleasure.

However, had he taken pleasure only in the remembrance of Allah, and consoled
himself with Him alone, then his will be great bliss and perfect happiness. For the
barriers, which lay between him and his Beloved, will now be removed, and he will be free
of the obstacles and cares of the world, all of which had distracted him from the
remembrance of Allah. This is one of the aspects of the difference between the states of
life and death.[11]

Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet said: "When a servant of Allah UTTERS the
words la ilaha illallah (there is no god except Allah) sincerely, the doors of
heaven open up for these words until they reach the Throne of Allah, so long as its
uttered keeps away from the major sins."[12]

Jabir reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "The best remembrance of
Allah is to REPEAT la ilaha illallah and the best prayer (du'a) is al-hamdu
lillah (all praise belongs to Allah)." [14]

Abu Hurayrara reported that the Prophet said: "There are two phrases that are
light on the TONGUE but heavy on the scale of rewards and are dear to the Gracious One.
These are: subhan Allah wa bi hamdihi, "Glorified is Allah with all praise to
Him," and subhan Allah al-`azim, "Glorified is Allah, the Great."
[15]

Abu Hurayra also reported that the Prophet said: "I love REAPEATING: subhan
Allah, wa al-hamdu lillah, wa la ilaha illallah, wallahu akbar: "Glorified is
Allah, and Praise be to Allah, and There is no God but Allah, and Allah is most
Great," more than all that the sun shines upon." [16]

Those who are new in Islam and those who are already Muslims continuously need to hear
and say the name of Allah along with His Attributes. Especially for those who are new,
because if they were not listening to it, or saying it, how will they know what the
meaning and move to the stage of Silent Dhikr.

Not worshipping and putting their faith and their trust in charms and amulets and
bracelets and types of other things in which people put their faith and trust, believing
that these things will bring them god luck ad reverse bad luck or protect their houses or
their businesses or what ever it may be or rather the Prophet (saw) attained these things
with shirk. So the Prophet called the people away from these things. Away from the worship
of idols

Again, Mr. Green states a point and relies on his own understanding about the use of Tawiz
without using any type of concrete reference (like the rest of his comments ) ,which he
calls amulet`s and charms. And by him using these types of words, it gives the expression
that one is relying on objects rather than Allah for help. Realize, that using Tawiz
is an example of using the Means of Approach that Allah advised us to use, like prayer,
patience the use of ruqiyya and the person of the Prophet (saw) may it be from
His hair, jubba or any other atticle that the Prophet (saw) possessed. And also
from The Pious Ones (this will be explained later). The Muslim who wears a Tawiz
is aware that it is Allah that gives, and the Tawiz is a vehicle for the
blessings for the believer. And it could be a reminder of the Believer and help him be
aware that Allah is with him and that He knows everything.

To hold that things have properties that cause benefit or harm INDEPENDENTLY of the
will of Allah is Kufr, whether such properties are natural of supernatural. But the
condition of certain people that showing veneration for the righteous or that obtaining
blessing through them ands their effects constitutes worship of them, associating others
with Allah is not supportable by the Prophetic Sunnah, which attests to the contrary, as
may be seen from the following proofs which are in no way complete:

Imam al-Qurtubi

Al-Qurtubi said in his Tafsir:

Explanation of the verse:

"And We reveal of the Qur'an what is a healing And a mercy for the
believers, and the wrong-doers Are not increased except in loss" (17:82)

It has been said that he who does not Seek cure through the Qur'an, Allah does not cure
him. The scholars interpret that verse in two ways however: The first is that
cure is for the hearts, by the removal of ignorance and doubt which hinder the
understanding of miracles and matters pointing to Allah Almighty; The second, that cure is
for outward diseases, through the use of healing verses [ruqiyya] and seeking
refuge and the like.

Qurtubi then lists instructions for making a kind of ruqya called nushra:
various verses are recited over a clean container which is then filled with water; the
water is then used for wudu' by someone who already has a valid wudu', and who also soaks
his head and limbs with it but does not use it for ghusl or istinja'; it may be drunk; he
then prays two rak`as at the conclusion of which he asks for healing, and so for three
days. Qurtubi cites Ibn `Abd al-Barr's statement whereby the Prophet's condemnation of nushra
concerns whatever contradicts the Qur'an and Sunna, not what conforms to it.

Qurtubi continues:

"The Prophet said: Cure for my Community is in but three verses of Allah's
Book, a mouthful of honey, or cupping. He also said: Ruqya is allowed as
long as there is no idolatry [shirk]; and if you can help your brother, help him.
Malik ibn Anas said: To hang writings of Allah's Names upon oneself is permitted for
healing and blessing but not for protection against the evil eye [see Abu Hayyan, Tafsir
al bahr al-muhit 6:74]. `Abd Allah ibn `Amr used to hang a protective invocation
taught by the Prophet around the necks of his young children. (Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi -
hasan) The Prophet and the Companions hated the pagan kind of ruqya or talisman
or necklace (tamima, qilada). Istishfa' or seeking blessing with
Qur'an is not shirk, whether hung on oneself or not. Whoever cites the
hadiths whereby the Prophet said: "Whoever hangs something (upon oneself), he is left
to it for protection" (Tirmidhi, Nasa'i, and Ahmad, all with a weak chain),
and that of Ibn Mas`ud's removal of his wife's pendant saying: "Ibn Mas`ud's
family have no need of shirk" (al-Hakim and Ibn Hibban in his Sahih)....
then this was all as a prohibition of what the people of Jahiliyya used to
do in wearing amulets and pendants, thinking that they protected them against calamity,
whereas only Allah protects, relieves, and tests, and He has no partner. So the
Prophet forbade them what they used to do in their ignorance. `A'isha said:
"Whatever is worn after the descent of calamity is not an amulet (laysa min
al-tama'im)."... As for seeking cure (istishfa') with the Qur'an whether
worn on oneself or not then it is no shirk at all: the Prophet said: "Whoever
hangs something (upon oneself), he is left to it for protection." Therefore who hangs
Qur'an is certainly taken under Allah's protection, and He will not leave him to
other than Him. Wearing a ruqya is accepted by: Ibn al-Musayyib, ad-Dahhak,
Ja`far as-Sadiq, and Ibn Sirin."

Imam Nawawi

Imam Nawawi said in al-Majmu' sharh al-muhadhdhab

vol. 2 p. 71 (Salafiyya Publishing House in Madina):

One may adduce as evidence for their permissibility [amulets (ta'wiz) containing
protective or healing words (ruqya, hijab)] the hadith of `Amr ibn Shu`ayb, from
his father, from his grandfather [`Amr ibn al-`As], that the Messenger of Allah (Allah
bless him and give him peace) used to teach them for fearful situations the words: a`udhu
bi kalimatillah al-tammat min ghadabihi wa sharri `ibadihi wa min hamazat al-shayatina wa
an yahdurun - I seek refuge in Allah's perfect words from His wrath, from the evil of
His servants, from the whispered insinuations of devils, and lest they come to me. `Abd
Allah ibn `Amr [in Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud: `Abd Allah ibn `Umar] used to teach these words
to those of his sons who had reached the age of reason, and used to write them and hang
them upon those who had not.[17]

Al-Baydawi

al-Baydawi said about this verse: "It is said that it refers to what cures
from physical diseases, such as the Verses of Healing (ayat al-shifaa') and the
Fatiha."

Al-Khazin

al-Khazin: "With regard to the Qur'an being a cure for diseases of the body, this
is because the blessing obtained (tabarruk) from its recitation protects from many
(physical) diseases, as shown by the hadith of the Prophet concerning the Fatiha when he
said: How did you know that they were protective verses (ruqya)? (Bukhari and
Muslim)"

Bukhari and Muslim relate the hadith of ruqiyya through Abu Sa`id al-Khudri [a
Companion healed an Arab from scorpion-bite by reciting al-Fatiha on him seven times, and
the Prophet (s) later asked him: How did you know it was a ruqiyya?]. {Qurtubi
then lists instructions for making a kind of ruqiyya called nushra:
various verses are recited over a clean container which is then filled with water; the
water is then used for wudu' by someone who already has a valid wudu', and who also soaks
his head and limbs with it but does not use it for ghusl or istinja'; it may be drunk; he
then prays two rak`as at the conclusion of which he asks for healing, and so for three
days.}

The Prophet (s) said: Cure for my Community is in but three verses of Allah's Book, a
mouthful of honey, or cupping. (Tabari) He also said: Ruqiyya is allowed as long
as there is no idolatry [shirk]; and if you can help your brother, help him. Malik ibn
Anas said: To hang writings of Allah's Names upon oneself is permitted for healing and
blessing but not for protection magainst the evil eye. Abdullah ibn `Amr used to
hang a protective invocation taught by the Prophet (s) around the necks of his young
children. (Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi - hasan) The Prophet (s) and the Companions hated the
pagan kind of ruqiyya or talisman [tamima, qilaada]. Istishfa'
[seeking blessing] with Qur'an is not shirk, whether hung on oneself or not. The Prophet
(s) said: Who hangs something (upon oneself), he is left to it for protection. Therefore
who hangs Qur'an is certainly taken under Allah's protection, and He will not leave him to
other than Him. Hanging a ruqiyya is accepted [among the Tabi`in] by: Ibn
al-Musayyib, ad-Dahhak, Ja`far as-Sadiq, and Ibn Sirin.

End of Qurtubi's words

And using the blessings through the Prophet (saw) , we will remind others about the
story of Jacob and his son in Allah`s book and that the evidence for the tabarruk of the
Companions and the Tabi`in through the Prophet and the saints is innumerable:

Allah said: "Go with this my shirt, and cast it over the face of my
father: he will come to see (clearly)... When the Caravan left (Egypt), their father said:
I do indeed scent the presence of Yusuf..." (12:93-94).

Awf ibn Malik said: We would use ruqya in Jahiliyya, so we said: "O
Messenger of Allah, what do you say about this?" He replied: "Show me your
protective words (a`ridu `alayya ruqakum), there is no harm in ruqya as long as
it contains no shirk." [19]

Among the Companions it is established that `Abd Allah ibn `Amr used to make his small
children wear ta`wiz and he certainly would not have done it if it consisted in shirk or
led to it. This is confirmed by the Tabi`in who accepted the unconditional wearing of
ta`wiz by both adults and children such as Sa`id ibn al-Musayyib, al-Dahhak, Ja`far
al-Sadiq, and Ibn Sirin, and among those of later times Malik ibn Anas, as related by
Qurtubi. Neither the latter nor Imam Nawawi objected to it, nor did the narrators of `Abd
Allah ibn `Amr's report such as Tirmidhi, Nasa'i, Ahmad, and Abu Dawud.

Hajjaj ibn Hassan said: "We were at Anas's house and he brought up the Prophet's
cup from a black pouch. He ordered that it be filled with water and we drank from it and
poured some of it on our heads and faces and sent blessings on the Prophet. [20]

`Asim said: "I saw that cup and I drank from it."[21]

Ibn `Umar used to touch the seat of the Prophet's minbar and then wipe his face for
blessing. [22]

From Abu Hurayra, Jabir, Abu Imama, and Malik: The Prophet made it a sunna to swear to
the truth on top of his minbar. Nisa'i, Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Ibn Maja, and others. [23]

Jabir sold a camel to the Prophet and the latter gave instructions to Bilal to add a
qirat (1/12 dirham) to the agreed sale price. Jabir said: "The Prophet's addition
shall never leave me," and he kept it with him after that. [24]

When `Abdullah ibn Anis came back from one of the battles having killed Khalid ibn
Sufyan ibn Nabih, the Prophet gifted him his staff and said to him: "It will be a
sign between you and me on the Day of Resurrection." Thereafter he never parted with
it and it was buried with him when he died. [25]

In al-Shifaby Qaadhi Iyad', in the chapter entitled "Esteem for the things
and places connected with the Prophet," that after Jihjah al-Ghifari took the
Prophet's staff from the hands of `Uthman and tried to break it accross his knee,
infection seized his knee which led to its amputation, and he died before the end of the
year.

Jabir says: "The Prophet came after `Abdullah ibn Ubay had been placed in his
grave. He ordered that he be brought out. He placed his hands on `Abdul's knees, breathed (nafth)
upon him mixing it with saliva, and dressed him with his shirt. [26]

There is simply not enough room to give all the proofs about this, but this should be
sufficient.

Bukhari narrates that `Uthman ibn `Abdullah said (ra), My wife came to Umm Salama with
a cup of water, in which to dip the lock containing some of the Prophet`s (saw) hair.
Whenever a person was suffering from the evil eye or an illness, they would send her a
vessel of water (which Umm Salama would dip the hair in, by treating the ill by thier
drinking it or washing with it . I looked at the metal bell (holding the lock of hair) and
i saw some red hairs.

Bukhari narrates from Abu Moosa that , "the Prophet (saw) called for a vessel of
water, washed his hands and face in it, spat a mouth full of water back into it and then
saud to Abu Moosa and Bilal, " Drink it and pour the rest of it over your face and
chests."

Bukhari relates from Mahmud ibn Rabi` that, "when the Prophet (saw) performed his
abulution, the Companions almost fought over the excess water."

The Prophet (saw) would have never permitted the like of this if there were any
sucspision of associating partners with Allah in it. In each of the above hadiths and
others, there is a clear basis for the legal vadility of obtaining blessings through the
effects of the righteous, as it was done with the Prophet`s consent and wish by the
Companions, this being the reason that Muslims after them have done also.

Away from the sublications and calling on the dead people, when there they are Prophets
or Pious People as the arabs in the tiime of the Prophet did as you find still today, who
call themselves Muslim doing that and going to the graves of the pious and calling upon
them and tjhis is nothing except Shirk because Alah ordered that we should call upon Him
alone indeed.

This misconception that Mr. Green is suffering from is a common disease amongst those
who mistake Ziyaarah with worship. And for one to understand intercession from those who
are in their graves, it would be necessary to explain in short the Blessing of the
Martyrs. Allah has ordered us not to say that the Martyrs-the one s who died in the way of
Allah dead, they are alive being provided for in their graves. And with this, there is a
saying when the Prophet (saw) and the Companions were returning form a expedition and the
Prophet said that they have left the lesseer Jihad , to the Greatest Jihad (Jihad Akbar)
and that is the Jihad of the Nafs. We say. If Allah has given to them what they asked for
when they were alive on this earth, then He (swt) will give to them while they are in
their graves when asked. Because Allah is the Provider in this life , in the Barzakh and
what comes after it, not the person being asked.

Imaam Ghazali mentioned in his Ihya that the Prophet (saw) said: al-MUJAHIDU man jahada
nafsahu fi ta`at Allah `azza wa jall [The fighter against unbelief is he who fights
against his ego in obeying God.[27]

Sufyan al-Thawri said: "I never dealt with anything stronger against me than my
own ego; it was one time with me, and one time against me"

... Yahya ibn Mu`adh al-Razi said: "Fight against your ego with the four swords of
training: eat little, sleep little, speak little, and be patient when people harm you...
Then the ego will walk the paths of obedience, like a fleeing horseman in the field of
battle."

So we of the Ahils-Sunnah wa Jamaa`ah say that when a person is in a constant battle
between himself and his nafs and he overcomes it, he is in a higher status to Allah than
the one killed on the battle field. And the Prophet (saw) is above them all, so we will
first mention the hadith about the blind man and asked Him (saw): "Invoke Allah for
me that he help me." He replied: "If you wish I will delay this, and it would be
better for you, and if you wish I will invoke Allah the Exalted (for you)." He said:
"Then invoke him." The Prophet said to him: idhhab fa tawadda', wa salli
rak`atayn thumma qul -- "Go and make an ablution, pray two rak`at, then say:
"O Allah, I am asking you (as'aluka) and turning to you (atawajjahu ilayka)
with your Prophet Muhammad (bi nabiyyika Muhammad), the Prophet of mercy; O
Muhammad (ya Muhammad), I am turning with you to my Lord regarding my present need
/ I am asking my Lord with your intercession concerning the return of my sight (inni
atawajjahu bika ila rabbi fi hajati hadhih -- another version has: inni astashfi`u
bika `ala rabbi fi raddi basari) so that He will fulfill my need; O Allah, allow him
to intercede (with you) for me (allahumma shaffi`hu fiyya)." [28]

1. The Prophet's order, here as elsewhere, carries legislative force for all Muslims
and is not limited to a particular person, place or time; it is valid for all generations
until the end of time unless proven otherwise by a subsequent indication from the Prophet
himself, Peace be upon him.

2. The Prophet was not physically present at the assigned time of the invocation, since
he said to the blind man: "Go and make ablution," without adding:
"and then come back in front of me." With regard to physical absence, the living
and the dead are exactly alike, namely:absent.

Despite the Prophet's physical absence, the wording (sigha) for calling upon his
intercession is direct address: "O Muhammad." Such a wording -- "O
So-and-So" -- is only used with someone present and able to hear. It should also be
noted that Allah forbade the Companions from being forward or calling out to the Prophet
in the ordinary manner used with one another (49:1-2). The only way, therefore, that the
Prophet, Blessings and peace be upon him, could both be absent and at the same be
addressed is that the first be understood in the physical sense and the second in the
spiritual.

The above invocation was also used after the Prophet's lifetime, as is proven by the
sound (sahih) hadith authenticated by Bayhaqi, Abu Nu`aym in the Ma`rifa,
Mundhiri (Targhib 1:473-474), Haythami, and Tabarani in the Kabir (9:17-18)
and the Saghir (1:184/201-202) on the authority of `Uthman ibn Hunayf's nephew Abu
Imama ibn Sahl ibn Hunayf: A man would come to `Uthman ibn `Affan for a certain need, but
the latter would not pay him any attention nor look into his need, upon which he
complained of his condition to `Uthman ibn Hunayf who told him: "Go and make
ablution, then go to the mosque and pray two rak`at, then say (this du`a)," and he
mentioned the invocation of the blind man, "then go (to `Uthman again)." The man
went, did as he was told, then came to `Uthman's door, upon which the door-attendant came,
took him by the hand, and brought him to `Uthman who sat him with him on top of the
carpet, and said: "Tell me what your need is." After this the man went out, met
`Uthman ibn Hunayf again, and said to him: "May Allah reward you! Previously he would
not look into my need nor pay any attention to me, until you spoke to him." He
replied: "I did not speak to him, but I saw the Prophet when a blind man came to him
complaining of his failing eyesight," and he mentioned to him the substance of the
previous narration.

It is narrated that `Umar ibn al-Khattab, the second caliph, would pray to Allah for
rain during times of drought through the means, the honor and intercession of the uncle of
the Prophet, `Abbas ibn `Abd Muttalib by using this supplication, "O Our Lord!
Previously, when we had a drought, we used to come to You by means and intercession of
Your Prophet. Now we are requesting intercession through the uncle of the Prophet to grant
us rain." And it was granted. Bukhari relates it. `Umar added, after making this
supplication: "He (al-`Abbas), by Allah, is the means to Allah" (hadha
wallahi al-wasilatu ilallahi `azza wa jall).

Ibn `Abd al-Barr relates it in al-Isti`ab bi ma`rifat al-ashab.

The scholars have explained that `Umar sought the means of al-`Abbas rather than the
Prophet in order to show and acknowledge the status of the Prophet's uncle among the
people and, more generally, of the Ahl al-Bayt or direct relatives of the Prophet.
Al-Kawthari in his Maqalat (p. 411) cites Ibn `Abd al-Barr's commentary in al-Isti`ab
that `Umar used al-`Abbas in response to Ka`b's words: "O Commander of the believers,
the Bani Isra`il in such circumstances used to pray for rain by means of the relatives of
Prophets." It is not, as some ignorant explainers of the hadith have fancied, because
the Prophet's means is no longer available that `Umar used al-`Abbas as a wasila. The
hadith of `Uthman ibn Hunayf and the words of Imam Malik to al-Mansur show that the
Prophet continued to be sought by the Companions and the Followers as a wasila or
means of blessing and benefit even after he left this life. Following is some more
evidence to this effect.

Al-Darimi in the Chapter 15 of the Muqaddima (Introduction) to his Sunan
(Vol. 1 p. 43) entitled: "Allah's generosity to His Prophet after his death,"
relates from Aws ibn `Abd Allah: "The people of Madina complained to `A'isha of the
severe drought that they were suffering. She said: "Go to the Prophet's grave and
open a window towards the sky so that there will be no roof between him and the sky."
They did so, after which they were watered with such rain that vegetation grew and the
camels got fat."

The Prophet said: "My life is a great good for you, you will relate about me and
it will be related to you, and my death is a great good for you, your actions will be
presented to me (in my grave) and if I see goodness I will praise Allah, and if see other
than that I will ask forgiveness of Him for you." [29]

`A'ishah reports the Prophet as saying: "If a company of Muslims
numbering one hundred pray over a dead person, all of them interceding for him, their
intercession for him will be accepted." Muslim [jana'iz]

Ibn `Abbas said: "I have heard the Prophet say: If any Muslim dies
and forty men who associate nothing with Allah stand over his body in prayer, Allah will
accept them as intercessors for him." Muslim [jana'iz]

In many traditions the number of acceptable intercessors in the funeral
prayer is reduced to three rows of men, even if the number is under forty. Nawawi says the
scholars of usul al-fiqh adduce these traditions, also.Ahmad [4:79, 4:100] and
others.

Tirmidhi (hasan), al-Bazzar: Abu Sa`id al-Khudri and Anas respectively
narrate that the Prophet said: "One will be told: Stand, O So-and-so, and make
intercession, and he will stand and make intercession for his tribe and his family and for
one man or two men or more according to his works."

The du`a that is recited in the funeral prayer of a non-adult:

O Allah, make him/her our forerunner, and make him for us a reward and
a treasure, make him one who will intercede (shafi`an) and whose intercession is
accepted (mushaffa`an).

In this du`a we are clearly asking for intercession from a person who
has passed away, in fact in this one we are asking for intercession from a child who has
not done any deeds in this world at all. A version of it mentioning intercession is in
Nawawi's Adhkar, Chapter of the du`as over the dead, and it is translated in Nuh
Keller's Reliance in the section on Funerals.

In fact every janaza prayer contains a request for the
intercession of the deceased in the phrase: wa la tahrimna ajrahu which means:
"and do not prevent his reward from reaching us."

Bukhari related that the Prophet also said: "He whose three
children died before the age of puberty, they will shield him from the Hell-Fire, or will
make him enter Paradise."

7b.

TAWASSUL THROUGH AWLIYA:

Again, some people think that if a duaa from a holy man is answered while he is alive
then he cannot help you if he is dead. As if the holy man or sheikh or saint is the origin
of the help. But it is always Allah who is the

source of the baraka and never a human being. So to think that Allah can only give when
that saint is alive and when he is dead, Allah does not give anymore, Is to say that the
source *is* the person and not Allah in the first place! But in reality it is Allah who is
giving help in both cases: life or death. When the Prophet said to al-Firasi, concerning
asking from people: "If you absolutely must ask from people, then ask from the
righteous ones" (in kunta la budda sa'ilan fas'al al-salihin). There is no
doubt that the visit of pious persons is a Sunna in Islam for that very purpose, as shown
by the chapters to that effect entitled Bab ziyarat al-salihin in the books of
etiquette and invocations.

When Imam al-Shafi`i was in Baghdad, he would visit the grave of Imam Abu Hanifa, give
him salam, and then ask Allah for the fulfillment of his need through his means (yatawassal
ilallah ta`ala bihi fi qada' hajatihi).

Imam Kawthari mentioned in his Maqalat (p. 412) that the hafiz al-Khatib
al-Baghdadi mentions Shafi`i's tawassul through Abu Hanifa in the beginning of his Tarikh
Baghdad with a sound chain.

Haytami also said in many places in his book al-Sawa`iq al-muhriqa li ahl al-dalal
wa al-zandaqa: "Imam Shafi`i made tawassul through the Family of the Prophet [Ahl
al-bayt] when he said: Al al-nabi dhari`ati wa hum ilayhi wasilatiarju bihim u`ta ghadan bi yadi
al-yamini sahifati - The Family of the Prophet are my means and my intermediary to
him. Through them I hope to be given my record with the right hand tomorrow.

Al-Hafiz Abu `Ali al-Ghassani relates in Ibn al-Subki's Tabaqat al-Shafi`iyya
2:234: Abu al-Fath Nasr ibn al-Hasan al-Sakani al-Samarqandi came to us in 464 and said:
"We had a drought in Samarqand some years ago. The people made the istisqa' prayer
but they did not get rain. A saintly man named al-Salah came to the judge and said to him:
"I have an opinion I would like to show you. My opinion is that you come out followed
by the people and that you all go to the grave of Imam Muhammad ibn Isma`il al-Bukhari and
make istisqa' (prayer for rain) there. Perhaps Allah will give us rain." The
judge said: "What a good opinion you have." He came out and the people followed
him, and he prayed for rain in front of them at the grave while people wept and sought the
intercession of the one that was in it. Allah sent such heavy rain that those who were in
Khartenk (where this took place, 3 miles away from Samarqand) could not reach Samarqand
for seven days because of the rain's abundance."

Ibn al-Jawzi in his biographies of the awliya entitled Sifat al-safwa lists many
of those at whose graves tabarruk (seeking blessing) and tawassul is recommended. Among
them:

Abu Ayyub al-Ansari: "al-Waqidi said: It has reached us that the Eastern Romans
visit his grave and seek rain through his intercession when they suffer from
droughts." 1:243. Mujahid said: "People would uncover the space above his grave
and it would rain."

Ma`ruf al-Karkhi (d. 200H): "His grave can be seen in Baghdad, and one seeks
blessings with it. Al-hafiz

Al-hafiz Diya' al-Din al-Maqdisi al-Hanbali said in his book al-Hikayat al-manthura
(Zahiriyya ms. 98, an autograph) that he heard the hafiz `Abd al-Ghani al-Maqdisi
al-Hanbali say that something like an abcess appeared on his upper arm for which there was
found no medicine. He came to Ahmad ibn Hanbal's grave and applied his arm against it,
after which he found himself healed. Imam Kawthari said that he read this account in Diya'
al-Din's own handwriting: Maqalat al-Kawthari (Riyadh and Beirut: Dar al-ahnaf,
1414/1993) p. 407, 412.

The Prophet also said on the authority of Anas ibn Malik: "O Allah, grant
forgiveness to my mother, Fatima Bint Asad, and make vast for her the place of her going
in [i.e. her grave] by right of thy Prophet and that of those prophets who came before
me" and so on until the end.

7c.

FATWAS:

Imam Ghazali said in the section on doctrine of his Ihya':

It is obligatory to believe in the intercession of first the prophets,
then religious scholars, then martyrs, then other believers, the intercession of each one
commensurate with his rank and position with Allah Most High.

Imam Shawkani said in his treatise entitled al-Durr al-nadid fi ikhlas kalimat
al-tawhid: There is no harm in tawassul through any one of the Prophets or Friends of
Allah or scholars of knowledge... One who comes to the grave as a visitor (za'iran)
and invokes Allah alone, using as his means the dead person in the grave, is as one who
says: "O Allah, I am asking that you cure me from such-and-such, and I use as a
means to You whatever this righteous servant of Yours possesses for worshipping You and
striving for Your sake and learning and teaching purely and sincerely for You." Such
as this, there is no hesitation in declaring that it is permitted...

The Mufti of Mecca at the time of the spread of the Wahhabi heresy, al-Sayyid Ahmad Ibn
Zayni Dahlan (d. 1304) said in Khulasat al-kalam:

Tawassul (using means), tashaffu` (using intercession), and istighatha
(asking help) all have the same meaning, and the only meaning they have in the hearts of
the believers is that of tabarruk (using blessings) with the mention of Allah's
beloved ones, since it is established that He grants His mercy to all His servants for the
sake of His beloved ones, and this is the case whether they are alive or dead, because in
either case the actual effecting agent and true executor is Allah Himself, and these
beloved ones are only ordinary causes for Hmercy. Like any other secondary causes, they
have no effective power of influence in themselves.

There is no contradiction in asking Allah both with or without an intermediary,
although in reality there are always several kinds of intermediary present, beginning with
one's own state, obedience, belief, acts, sincerity, etc. Only those with deficient
knowledge or imperfect belief imagine that the person who asks Allah through an
intermediary has associated another to his worship of Allah.

and relating to this Mr. Green states:

My brothers and sisters do you all understand even the words of Surah Faatihah. You
alone do we worship and you alone do we implore for help. When we say iyakana nabuduAnd
those who invoke besides Allah they cannot create anything and they cannot bring any harm

We say again, the contrast between Worship Allah and seeking Shafa`ah through
the person of the Prophet or through the Righteous , are two different things. And the
one`s who are confused about these manners are the ones who say it and the innocent ones
who sit and listen to it. Mr. Green has made a dreadful mistake by quoting a verse fro the
Qur`aan to apply that Muslims who say Laa Ilaaha Illa-Llah, are worshiping something else.
This method that he is using is totally against the orders of the Prophet (saw), and that
is to not use the Qur`aan for our vain desires , interperting verses out of contents.